Bristol Accountant Sentenced To Federal Prison: Stole From Work
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Matthew Chancler, 57, of Pottstown, Pennsylvania was sentenced today to 18 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Michael Baylson for engaging in a fraud scheme that victimized his employer.
The defendant was a Certified Public Accountant and the Director of Finance for United Chemical Technologies (“UCT”), a company located in Bristol, Pennsylvania. In this role, Chancler oversaw the financial operations of the company: accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and auditing.
During an approximately two-year period, from August 2016 through July 2018, Chancler abused his position of trust on a regular and systematic basis by using company issued credit cards for over 1,800 personal purchases and over 400 cash withdrawals from ATMs, while disguising the true nature of these transactions in the company’s financial records in order to cover his tracks. Those personal purchases included clothing, electronics, food, travel, jewelry, sporting equipment, and other personal items and entertainment. He also manipulated the company’s payroll system to generate additional fraud proceeds. In total, the defendant stole over $360,000 through his fraudulent use of the cards and manipulation of the payroll system. The defendant’s scheme put the company in financial jeopardy and caused its officers and employees substantial hardship.
“Chancler abused his position of authority and trust for nothing more than his own greed,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Companies rely on professionals to maintain the finances of their organization and to act as good stewards – not to break the law to line their own pockets.”